


A House That Breathes

by HannahMarieHiddles



Category: Crimson Peak - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Blood, F/M, Gothic, Halloween, Villain Tom Hiddleston, tom hiddleston halloween fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 08:00:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4340402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HannahMarieHiddles/pseuds/HannahMarieHiddles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Elizabeth Cushing arrives for a short ‘Halloween weekend’ break in an apparently haunted house in the yorkshire countryside, upon arrival she has the strangest feeling that she has been to Crimson Peak manor before…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> ORIGINALLY POSTED TO MY TUMBLR ACCOUNT [On a whole, I’d like to warn now that this fic will contain ghosts/ and in later chapters violence & sadomasochism] A/N: From today (sunday 26th Oct 2014) I’ll be releasing the next chapter of this fic each night, 7pm GMT, ending Oct 31st. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. I really hope you guys enjoy my spin on Sir Thomas Sharpe -Hannah xx

"Madam, if you would please follow me" said the porter, walking quickly ahead of me, carrying my bag up the grand staircase to the first floor. I honestly didn’t know why I’d decided to come here.

It was two nights before Halloween and I’d just arrived alone at this apparently haunted house-Crimson Peak Manor- in the Yorkshire countryside. I’d came alone because my friend Amy- who’d won two tickets to stay here over the halloween weekend, had at the last minute been called away to London because her mother had fallen seriously ill; and of course she’d been unable to find anyone else who’d want to come with me.

Maybe it was the feeling of needing to get away to somewhere remote for the weekend that had made me decide it was a good idea… or just the fact that Halloween was my favourite holiday, and so a stay in a “haunted house” had sounded fun at the time. Either way I was here now… On the first floor landing a red haired woman passed me. Out of nowhere I found myself stopping her, my hand on her forearm- her face was that of sudden surprise.

“I-I’m sorry but I- do I know you? I have the strangest feeling- like I’ve seen you before?”

"I’m sorry Miss?“ she replied.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Cushing.”

“I’m sorry Miss Cushing but you must be mistaken” she said, her eyes dropping to my grip on her arm.

“Oh. I’m sorry” I said, releasing her.

“Madam, your room” the porter urged.

"Oh, you’re next door to me- I’m Lucy, Lucy Sharpe,“ the red haired woman smiled.

"It’s nice to meet you” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed for having suddenly grabbed her by the arm as she’d passed me. 

She nodded her head a little and then carried on her way, heading down to the ground floor. Once the porter had left me inside what was a grand master bedroom with my bags, I removed my scarf as I wandered about the room; inspecting it. There was a fireplace facing the end of the king size bed, on either side of the mantelpiece hung what looked to be two ancestral paintings, the huge window to my right was framed by thick dark curtains, and the ancient looking black and green wallpaper held a fading leafy pattern to it.

After a while, I found myself sat on the large window seat, watching the snow fall outside. I felt strange. There was something familiar about this place… as if I’d been here before, yet I knew I never had. I couldn’t shake the feeling. So, after a long while of sitting and gazing idly out the window, pondering over the place, I got up and left my room. Suddenly, my reflection caught my attention. 

That’s unusual, I thought as I walked towards the end of the hall. I’d never seen such a large wall mirror before, and especially not in a house as old as this. It was a wide floor to ceiling mirror, almost looking like a door without a handle. I was only a few inches away from the glass as I inspected myself. My hair was a little windswept and as I leaned closer, brushing my fingers through the stray wild strands suddenly I gasped, jumping and turning to look behind myself… 

There was no one there, yet in that moment as I’d leaned closer to the mirror I swear I’d seen a man stood to my right behind me… I turned back and forth several times, looking from my reflection to the empty corridor behind… yet I was alone.

On the stairs I met Lucy. 

“Hey, so how long are you staying?” I asked.

"Staying? Oh honey, I live here. I thought you would have made the connection when I told you my name before,“ she laughed.

I could feel myself reddening in response to her tone.

"Oh- sorry. You know ever since I got here I’ve had the strangest feeling that I’ve been here before, and I swear I just saw- oh never mind,” I laughed awkwardly.

“No, what is it Elizabeth? What did you see? You can tell me…” her voice was as sweet as sugar as she gently patted my arm. I looked at the floor, shivers running through me.

"You’re going to think I’m mad but I swear I thought I saw a man in the hallway just now, but when I looked back there was no one there…“

"Well there are male guests here… maybe he went into his room?”

“No I- I mean he looked more like a- a ghost…”

Lucy instantly began to giggle.

"Oh don’t be silly- I think you are letting your imagination run away from you… First time in a haunted house?“ 

I nodded.

"Well come on, I’ll give you the tour” she half laughed, taking my arm in hers, linking me as if we were sisters and leading me down to the ground floor. In the hallway she brought me to stand before a painting that I had failed to notice when I’d arrived.

“This is the man who owned this house- long ago now… Sir Thomas Sharpe” she said, watching me as I gazed up at it… 

\- 

Elizabeth was silent for a few seconds longer than Lucy would have liked and she impatiently asked “Well? What do you think of him?”

Elizabeth frowned only slightly as she looked from the painting to Lucy. 

“Of him? Well the painting is grand, just like the rest of the house” she smiled. 

“But the man… Don’t you think him handsome?”

"Yes, I guess so.“

It seemed Elizabeth had offended Lucy in some way suddenly by the look on her face. It was clear to Elizabeth that her answer had not been full of the enthusiasm Lucy had of hoped for.

"Yes well, he is a- was a great man I’ve been told,” Lucy said, gazing up at the picture for a long moment. “Come on,” she said, not bothering to retake Elizabeth’s arm as she carried on into the ballroom, leaving Elizabeth to follow on behind. 

“Wow!” Elizabeth beamed with natural enthusiasm this time; drawn from her by the sheer beauty of the room.

“I know. Can’t you imagine the grand balls they must have had here?” Lucy replied in a dreamy sort of manner as she led Elizabeth to the top of the room.

They came to stand at a marble bust of a man- the man in the painting.

“Oh- is that the same-”

“Yes” Lucy nodded eagerly.

“Oh well! This does him better justice I think” Elizabeth smiled as she stepped closer, inspecting the handsome features that had been chiselled into the stone… 

He watched her from the shadows; he himself nothing more than a shadow of another time. Watched her as she gently ran a finger down his- the bust’s handsome straight nose. He listened as she said "Yes, he was a handsome man wasn’t he… So is this place really haunted?“ He smiled from his hiding place in response to her question.

'Oh. Not long now my love… Soon you shall see just how haunted this house can really be…’

After inspecting the ground floor, back on the first floor landing as Elizabeth gripped the banister leading to the second floor Lucy stopped her; a little startled. This would only make Elizabeth all the more curious.

“Oh no Elizabeth, you mustn’t go up to the second floor. Or the attic!”

“Oh? I’m sorry. Why not if you don’t mind me asking?” she said, stepping back down off the first step that she had climbed.

“Oh-oh umm- servants quarters- I mean my quarters-”

“But I thought you said your room was next to mine?”

“Oh umm, it is but I mean- the second floor and the attic are my brothers quarters, yes, and he doesn’t like any guests entering his part of the house you see, I’m sorry.” 

“Oh what a shame! I would have loved to have seen the attic, I bet it’s beautiful!”

 

“Oh no just a dusty old cobwebbed place, full of old junk really-” suddenly she was interrupted by the ringing of a little bell, “Oh! What do you know, dinner will be served in five minutes, come on we best hurry” she said, taking Elizabeth by the arm again and leading her away; unable to stop her from taking a peek back at the staircase leading to the second floor as they went.

In the dining room, as Elizabeth sat at the twelve-seater dark wood table next to Lucy- who sat at the head- she suddenly felt a chill about her. As if someone was stood directly behind her and gently blowing on the back of her neck. She shivered.

"It’s a little cold don’t you think?” She asked Lucy as the waiters who were dressed in period attire went around the table serving up the hot plates of food.

“I feel fine” Lucy shrugged.

Halfway through dinner, as all the guests chatted to one another- Lucy having formally introduced everyone once the waiters had left the room- suddenly a man of about fifty burst into the dining room, shivering and battering the snow from his thick coat.

“Mr Reid! Goodness! Where have you been?”

“Oh Lucy my dear! I went out for my daily afternoon walk earlier, but the storm really picked up about an hour ago! It is absolutely dreadful out there. I hope the other guests will be able to make it to the masquerade ball this year! Snow blizzards in late October, why I’ve never known them to be this bad,” he finished muttering to himself.

As Mr Reid removed his coat and sat down, a hot plate of food was brought for him and a glass of wine poured. The chatter resumed, now centring on the subject of the ball.

“I didn’t know there was a ball being held, when is it?” Elizabeth asked Elisha; a tall black haired woman to her left to whom she had just been acquainted only ten minutes earlier.

“Goodness, I come here every year at this time just for The Sharpe families Halloween Masquerade Ball-” but Elisha was cut off suddenly by Lucy; who had overheard her excitement and decided to listen in.

“Oh Elizabeth! You’re just going to love it! It’s a very old tradition of my families. There have been All Hallows Eve Masquerade balls here since 1821 when my ancestors built the place-”

“Oh, but I don’t have a dress, or a mask” Elizabeth somberly interrupted her.

Lucy squeezed her forearm excitedly as she giggled “Don’t worry honey, we have dresses and masks here that you can wear, we dress up in period clothing you see. We have a whole wardrobe upstairs that guests can choose items from and reserve for the ball.”

“Yeah Elizabeth, don’t worry they are just beautiful! Lucy, do you still have the green ball gown I wore last year? I can’t remember if I reserved it again for this year?”

“Yes, yes don’t worry Elisha, you reserved it” Lucy said before sipping her wine.

Suddenly, through the excited noisy chatter that had built up slowly around the subject of the ball, as Elizabeth reached for her wine glass it moved- no! It tipped. As if a hand had deliberately smacked it away from her grasp. Elizabeth gasped as the glass hit the table and smashed- grabbing everyone’s attention- while wine spilled everywhere, running down and off the table. She jumped back in her chair to avoid the wine running towards her, but as she stood up the lights went out. . .


	2. Ghost

There was silence for only a second.

“Everyone stay calm, the lights will come back on in a moment or two,” came Lucy’s calm voice.

Elizabeth could sense that Lucy was now standing also; no doubt to get out of the way of the dripping wine.

“Did you see that?” Elizabeth’s panicked voice whispered into the darkness. “I didn’t spill my wine. The glass- it moved! Lucy. Lucy I swear-”

Suddenly there was a loud bang from somewhere upstairs. All the guests screamed.

“Everyone stay calm-”

“I swear Lucy I didn’t-”

“Elizabeth please, you’re scaring me.” Elisha squeaked.

There was another bang from upstairs, as if someone had slammed one of the bedroom doors. Then there came a continuous thudding sound from just outside the dining room… It sounded as if someone was running down the staircase.

Silence consumed the darkness for a few moments; the only sounds were breathing of the guests.

Suddenly Elizabeth gasped as something moved behind her. The backs of her knees no longer touched the edge of her chair as they had done just a moment ago.

“Lucy was that you?” came Elizabeth’s voice.

“Was what me? I haven’t moved.”

“My chair it’s- Argh!” Elizabeth half screamed, her head jolting back a little as someone pulled on her hair.

The lights suddenly flickered back to life.

Everyone was staring at her.

“Something just touched me!" 

"Oh come on…” said Mr Reid, rolling his eyes. “Lucy you’ve hired a bad actress this year. No offence love but that was terrible timing and a tad cheesy!”

“I- I’m not an actress I- I swear something just touched me! Lucy-” Elizabeth turned to look at her.

“Come on sit down now, it’s just the time of year Elizabeth. You’re letting yourself get a little carried away-”

“No it’s not, I’ve felt strange ever since I got here” she replied feebly, still standing and glancing around at the other guests. She felt outnumbered. No one seemed to believe her.

“Maybe you should retire early, get some rest.” Lucy suggested. "The drive here must have tired you, surely?“ 

A waitress entered the room then and asked if everyone was okay, stating that it seemed as though the storm was getting worse, and she wouldn’t be surprised if a power cable or two came down in the night if the wind kept up.

"Mary, accompany Miss Cushing back to her room please, she wishes to retire early.”

“Yes ma'am” nodded the waitress “Follow me” she urged, looking at Elizabeth.

Once outside her bedroom door, as Mary bid her a good evening Elizabeth stopped her.

“Wait! Will- will you wait until I see inside?”

“Whatever for Miss?”

“I-I don’t know, I’m just a little scared”.

Mary smiled and nodded “Well it is a haunted house after all-”

“Really?” Elizabeth asked, her tone was that of a probing one.

“Oh of course-” said Mary, opening the bedroom door but stopping in her tracks as both women were hit by the icy wind blowing in from the window.

“Whatever did you leave the window open for when it’s snowing out?!” Mary said, scurrying over to shut it.

“I didn’t!… That must have been what that bang was!”

“Oh… Well old sash windows, you’ve got to keep them locked in weather like this.”

There was a flurry of snow collected on the window seat. Mary tried to dispose of it as best she could before bidding Elizabeth good night.

“Wait, what were you saying about it being a haunted house?”

“Oh you know, same old codswallop about guests having seen ghosts wandering about the place, strange unexplainable noises etc. etc.”

“Don’t you believe it then? That it’s haunted I mean.”

“Of course not. Worked here five years now and I haven’t seen anything, and as for the noises, well…” she shrugged “It’s an old house, what do you expect?… Now you must excuse me Miss. Good night…”

-

It was around 2am when Elizabeth was awoken by the cold. She was lying on her side sleeping in nothing but her underwear, and as she opened her eyes- for all she could see little in the darkness- she found the cause of the chill. The blankets stopped covering her at the waist, leaving her ass and bare legs revealed to the cold night air. She groggily sat up and reached to pull the covers back over her, then she slumped back down on to her back as she shut her eyes again.

The moment she shut her eyes however, everything that happened next happened so fast that she didn’t get the chance to scream. The covers were ripped back of their own accord, revealing her legs to the room again while at the same time, an invisible hand clamped over her mouth. She wriggled frantically, grabbing at thin air, feeling what felt like another invisible hand coming to lie upon her stomach, trying to quell her wriggling. A cool voice came by her ear and instantly fear froze her in place.

“Shh…” it’s whisper was faint. “Do not fight me, I cannot hurt you… yet,” it chuckled.

The hand that she couldn’t see left her mouth but she was unable to scream; fear having stolen her voice. She heard footsteps on the floor beside the bed. Suddenly, she felt cold hands clutch her bare ankles. She could hardly see anything in the darkness, unable to tell if someone was actually in her room… strangely enough a little voice in the back of her head told her that this was no mortal man. Her heart raced as the word flashed before her mind’s eye… Ghost.

All she could do was whimper as tears filled her eyes. She opened her mouth and began to pant as her legs were parted, long cold fingers beginning to trace their way up the inside of her right leg. When she felt them at her knee she shut her eyes as she gripped the sheets… On the inside of her thigh they slowed a little, but did not stop inching up her leg. Higher and higher.

“Stop! Please!” she choked into the darkness.

The fingers were gone from her thigh and instead gripped her by the throat.

“Oh my love! Still you beg me!” said the whisperer harshly.

“Please! Who are you?” She replied, keeping her eyes tight shut, afraid of what she might see if she opened them.

“Oh,” the voice breathed in her ear, “you shall remember me again when the time comes Edith!" 

As the hand left her throat her eyes flew open at the sound of retreating footsteps on the floorboards.

"Who are you? Wait! You’ve got the wrong person! I’m not Edith!” She called into the darkness. 

But there was no reply…

When morning finally came, Elizabeth was laying wide awake; sleep had been unable to take her again after the incident in the early hours. Her mind had been racing. Had a man- a guest came into her room last night? No. Her mind whispered each time this question had arisen, being that it had arisen frequently in the midmorning hours. Those hands… She thought. Icy… as if dead…


	3. Bluebeard…

Suddenly, the knock at her bedroom door made her jump. She didn’t know what time it was; only that the sun had been steadily rising for what seemed like hours. There was a quick tap at the door again and then Elisha came in, asking Elizabeth how she was feeling this morning.

Elizabeth already felt stupid- crazy even- because of what had happened at the dinner table last night, given that no one had seemed to believe her. She was now desperate for a friend, and it was the fear that Elisha would think she was crazy too which stopped her from telling Elisha what she had experienced in the early hours of the morning.

Elizabeth wanted out of her room so badly that she brought up the idea of taking a turn around the snow covered grounds. Elisha agreed that it sounded like a great idea before they were to meet Lucy that afternoon; to pick out a dress for Elizabeth to wear tomorrow night. The wind had eased off and the snow fell softly throughout the day.

“So you come here every year? You must know a little bit about the place huh?” Elizabeth asked, a feeling of relief washing over her as they stepped outside and retreated away from the house.

“Oh yes, if truth be told I don’t just come to attend the ball every year… I come to see that painting!” she laughed, reddening a little in embarrassment.

“What painting?" 

"Of Sir Thomas Sharpe of course! It’s just so beautiful. What a handsome man he was- cruel I’m told, but handsome.”

“Cruel?”

“Oh indeed, it seems he was something of a sadomasochist.”

“Really?”

“Apparently. I mean, from what I’ve read on the history of the place Sir Thomas Sharpe inherited the house from his father right, but it seemed he inherited his father’s cruelty too- given that Sir Thomas Sharpe Senior murdered his wife in the bath by strangling and drowning her-” Elizabeth gasped in shock, “-yeah exactly! Well, it was rumored that junior heard his mother’s screams and came running… his father didn’t even notice him enter the room but they suspected that junior witnessed everything-“

"No… What- what happened to him?” Elizabeth asked in disbelief.

“Well, he was sixteen at the time- either way all that’s documented is that his mother was found in the bathtub, his father was convicted of murder shortly after and junior inherited the family estate… after that nothing was really recorded about him until his first marriage a few years later.”

“Wow… but why was he thought to have been cruel?”

“Well this is the thing, so he was married four times right-”

Elizabeth nodded.

“-well the first three wives- pfft! No one knew what became of them.”

"What do you mean?”

“Well, there are newspapers from the time up in the attic and-”

“Lucy told me no one is allowed in the attic, that it’s her brother’s quarters…”

“Ah yeah, he wasn’t here last year…” said Elisha, nodding her head. "That’s probably why she showed me the attic. Yeah, these articles are fascinating, Lucy comes from a really messed up family- oh erm, please don’t tell her I said that!“ Elisha laughed awkwardly.

"I won’t- you were saying…” Elizabeth urged.

“Umm- oh newspapers, yes! There were rumors that he was a Bluebeard type-” Elizabeth’s eyebrows knitted together “-you know the fairy tale of Bluebeard? There’s loads of different versions, but basically one of them describes him as a guy who collected wives because they were either rich, had special talents or even because they were virgins… He’d kill the current wife before moving onto the next.”

Elizabeth was horrified. Something within her was tugging at her heart and mind, like a forgotten memory buried deep within her recesses, but she couldn’t quite put all the pieces together.

“And the fourth wife?”

“Ah! Now she was a special case. They say she was the virgin he collected. She disappeared for a time, some story of her going to stay with relatives… I guess there’s an article about it because the town was horrified… being that she left her one year old daughter behind to be looked after by the maids of the household. She was gone for something like six years-”

“Six years! She was gone from her first child for six years?! My god… Why? Why was she special? Just because she was a virgin?”

“Well in those days if a woman was going to shame her husband by leaving him, if he was a bastard with a lot oh money and power, well she didn’t even stand a chance. Men like that- they’d order the wife to be banished from the house, threatening that she was to have no contact with her children… a form of blackmail to make her stay because of the kids-”

Elizabeth made a noise in disgust.

“-but no, I doubt it. I think he probably would have killed her too, if she hadn’t have fallen pregnant… at least that’s what the locals believed saved her at the time… He probably never thought about having an heir to carry on his title but suddenly she falls pregnant…”

"So, they had a son then? Sharpe and this?" 

"Edith- ah I forget her maiden name now, but yes, three daughters and two sons according to Lucy.”

“So she just returned to him?" 

"Yeah, well after a few years rumors began in the town you see- questioning his story about her absence. A few women even openly stated to the press that they feared he would return down to the village in search of a fifth wife… Suddenly though she reappears after six years. He probably feared being investigated on his other wives disappearances, so he forced her to return home. Once she did it wasn’t long before she was pregnant again.”

“And he never killed her?” Elizabeth asked again, not taking her eyes off Elisha as they trudged through the snow.

“Nope. Like I said she must have been real special to him once she’d had that first child of theirs… Something must have turned in him- probably couldn’t think about killing the mother of his kid honestly. Either that or he wanted to try for sons too.”

"Hmm…” Elizabeth hummed.

“Anyway, what’s really interesting though- and it’s probably where the Bluebeard myth about him came from, a part from the fact that the first three wives disappeared of course- is that there are some quite explicit sketches of this Edith, I’m told.”

“Explicit? Seriously?”

“Oh yeah, there is an article about them too. Many years after his death some great grandkid found sketches of this ‘Lady Edith Sharpe’ and his signature is at the bottom of each sketch. She’s apparently depicted in certain poses, either tied up, or gagged or- “

"What?” Elizabeth asked anxiously. She felt sick but she didn’t know why.

“Well there were even drawings of her taking part in blood play! Those Victorians man, I’m telling you they were all repressed! Turned them into mad kinky bastards!” Elisha laughed loudly.

Elizabeth tried to laugh too but she couldn’t. Her stomach was knotting and she felt like she was about to throw up…

-

 

Later that afternoon, around two o'clock, Elizabeth and Elisha met Lucy up on the first floor landing and she showed them into her room. It looked as if two master bedrooms had been knocked into one grand room for her, what Lucy referred to as her ‘apartment’. At one end of the room sat her four poster bed, at the other end crossing into the next room sat an antique couch and two armchairs in front of the fireplace. Elizabeth could hear it in Lucy’s voice the way she spoke of her room, she sounded jealous of this mystery brother of hers; because he had the whole second floor and attic space as his ‘apartments’.

“Is your brother home? I’ve not heard a sound from upstairs” Elizabeth inquired as she stood looking over the different dresses in the giant walk-in wardrobe that Lucy had led them into.

“Oh yes he’s here, but he normally resides in the attic a lot.”

“Lucy, couldn’t you ask him if I could see it, the attic I mean. Elisha has told me so much about it-”

“Oh has she now?” Lucy raised an eyebrow at Elisha.

“O-only of how you showed me it last year, when your brother wasn’t home” Elisha said a little anxiously.

This caught Elizabeth’s attention.

“Yes, Elisha just said that it’s full of old pictures and newspaper articles, it sounds fascinating. Wouldn’t your brother let me see it for only a few minutes?”

“No!”

Both Elizabeth and Elisha jumped.

“I’m sorry but I’ve said no. No one is to go up to the attic! Now let’s just find you a dress for tomorrow night Elizabeth, okay.”

“Sure,” Elizabeth tried to smile.

For the next ten minutes she looked through the rail of dresses until she was almost ready to give up, unable to find one she liked. Suddenly, Lucy squealed with excitement.

“What is it? Did something touch you?!” Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide.

“No silly! I’ve found it!”

“What?”

“The moment you walked through the door I knew this was the dress for you! Ah and look! Here is the mask too!” Lucy said, pulling out an exquisite blood red ball gown and matching eye mask from the back rail. The atmosphere in the room had changed in an instant as Lucy became ecstatic, like she was going to be rewarded for having found the dress.

Elizabeth could see that it had set Elisha on edge, but she couldn’t question why because in an instant Lucy was pulling her into the middle of the room, placing her before the mirror and half trying to help her out of her clothes and into the ball gown.

It fit perfectly. As if it had been made for her. However, the moment Lucy attached the eye mask and Elizabeth really looked at herself in the mirror she gasped, a picture flashing before her eyes. She was wearing the gown and mask, her hair was pinned up and she was being turned about a crowded ballroom in the arms of an extremely tall, pale, black haired man whose face was half covered by a black eye mask.

’L-Lucy I- I can’t breathe!’ She gasped, her hands suddenly trying to grapple with the laces at the back of the dress; her frantic fingers failing to loosen them each time she tried pulling at them.

‘L-Lucy!’

Suddenly the window flew open and the door to the walk-in wardrobe banged shut- as if someone had left- as Elizabeth’s vision went black, her body hitting the floor…


	4. Up In The Attic…

Elizabeth awoke to find the dress slack around her, Elisha and Lucy on either side of her.

‘Elizabeth! Elizabeth are you alright?’ Elisha asked.

'Elizabeth forgive me, I must have laced it a little too tightly, I’m so sorry honey!’ Lucy cooed.

“I- I’m alright” she croaked as both women helped her to her feet.

“But you do look stunning though” Lucy smiled.

Elisha gripped Elizabeth’s hand a little tighter after Lucy had said this and Elizabeth was gladder for Elisha’s company in that moment.

“You must wear this dress tomorrow night!” Lucy chirped as she began to clear up the room while Elisha helped Elizabeth out of the dress. 

That evening, dinner went off without a hitch. There was no ghostly chill about the room and nor did any unexplainable incidents occurre. Elizabeth spoke more to Elisha than she did to Lucy, but she was unable to question Elisha further on the matter of Sir Thomas Sharpe.

As night fell she quickly decided that she was not going to be sleeping in her own room. Once Lucy had retired and Elizabeth heard her shut the bedroom door, she hopped out of bed as quickly as she could and escaped from her room, coming to Elisha’s bedroom door and knocking on it lightly.

She explained to Elisha that she was terrified to sleep alone and wondered if it would be okay to sleep top-to-toe with her. Elisha was glad of her company and chattered on for a while about the ball that would take place in a few hours. Her seemingly happy composure began to have a calming effect upon Elizabeth, and it wasn’t long before both women began to drift off to sleep- once Elisha had said all she had to say about the coming events… 

*

He could hear the clock behind him ticking as he stood in front of the mirror waiting. It was counting down the last few minutes before he would be free to roam between worlds for a day and a night. He’d been stood in front of the mirror, waiting- pacing back and forth- for some time. Suddenly though- as the time had almost come- he had watched her not ten minutes ago slip from her room and sneak down the corridor. He knew exactly where she was in the house, and it was much to his dismay that she was not alone.

Now he’d have to bide his time; his plan having changed the moment she’d gotten out of bed… He had planned on just entering the room and reclaiming her- “Damn it! I’ll fucking drag her back by the hair if I have to!” he muttered to himself.

Now he would have to wait even longer. Until she was on her own. Nevertheless, he had vowed to himself that he would not fail in his pursuit of her. He’d waited far too long for this day to come. Suddenly, the clock struck midnight and the twelve strokes resound in both the past and the future, announcing the 31st day of October. Upon the twelfth stroke of midnight the curtain between worlds dissolved and Sir Thomas Sharpe stepped through the mirror and onto the first floor landing…

*

Throughout the day Lucy had hardly been seen other than when she had either been running up and down the staircase from first floor to ballroom, frantic that certain decorations didn’t look right, or shouting at the staff to get a move on with whatever it was they were doing before she disappeared again.

Elizabeth had persuaded Elisha to take a turn about the grounds again the moment they had woken up, saying it would be the last time she would get to see them- being that she would be leaving in the morning. Elisha begged her to promise to return next year, and Elizabeth tried to hide her sadness with a smile as she agreed that she would. However it was a lie, for she had secretly vowed to herself that she would never return to this dreadful place again once she left tomorrow morning.

It was around 7pm when Lucy found them and hauled them upstairs to the walk-in wardrobe, concentrating all of her time on Elizabeth; helping her into the blood red ball gown. Elisha didn’t seem to mind though. In fact she seemed quite relieved not to be on Lucy’s radar. At 8pm, when all three women were ready, they left Lucy’s ‘apartment’ and headed downstairs into the already half full ballroom. It seemed that guests had been arriving from around a little after 7pm. For the next four hours Elizabeth actually began to enjoy herself, staying by Elisha’s side, meeting the people that Elisha knew and dancing with a few different young men that she had been introduced to.

But time was moving on for him.

When the huge grandfather clock at the top of the ballroom struck 11pm- and Elizabeth felt almost dizzy from having danced so much- as she politely declined the hand of a man who had wished for the next dance, suddenly someone grabbed her by the upper arm. She turned to see a blond haired young woman dressed in a maid’s outfit from the period. She looked plain in comparison to the ladies in their ball gowns and masks.

“C-can I help you?” Elizabeth asked.

“What are you doing here Edith?!” The woman’s voice was a frantic whisper. “Oh God he had her lure you here didn’t he? You weren’t supposed to come back to this place! Oh but the mirror- God you won’t remember a thing! Edith you must go-“

"What have I told you Bess! Back upstairs with you!” Lucy’s voice suddenly interrupted the pair. She appeared at the woman’s side, grabbing her by the arm and making to turn her away from Elizabeth. 

“No, wait. Who are you? Why are you calling me Edith?”

“Oh never mind who she is, just a batty waitress who fell into my care as a child-” Lucy looked at Bess then- “I want a word with you Bess. Right. Now!“

Bess took one despairing glance at Elizabeth and then backed away, disappearing in an instant.

As Lucy turned to follow the waitress Elisha was at her side blocking her path.

“Oh my! Lucy! Who is that gentleman over there?!” she asked feverishly.

The two women turned to look in the direction in which Elisha was now staring in a dreamy sort of fashion. Elizabeth gasped at the sight of him. It was the man from her vision yesterday. He was stood at the far end of the room, observing the evening’s events. Everything about him was the same as it had been in her mind’s eye; the black hair, the black satin waistcoat and jacket, he was even wearing the same handsome black eye mask which kept his true identity from her.

“Oh! That is my brother! Come Elizabeth, allow me to introduce you!” she said, taking her by the arm.

Something made Elizabeth pull away then.

“Please, I feel a little faint from all the dancing Lucy. Would you mind if I just got a little fresh air for five minutes? Then I’d be glad for you to introduce us,” she forced a happy smile.

Lucy scrutinized her for a moment…“Okay- but only five minutes mind! I mentioned you to him and now my brother is eager to meet the woman who so desperately wishes to see the attic!”

Elizabeth smiled- a little uneasy- and nodded.

“I won’t be a moment” she said, turning and heading for the entrance to the ballroom as she heard Elisha ask “Oh do introduce us Lucy. Please?…”

The moment Elizabeth stepped into the foyer and was out of sight of the entrance doors, she took to the stairs in a flash. She was heading for the attic. Something isn’t right! She thought as she climbed the grand staircase as quickly as she could, picking up the skirts of her dress as she went. It was a lot quieter upstairs and the noise of the party below began to die away the higher she climbed. On the second floor landing she reached the staircase leading to the attic. To her left there was a door which must have led into Lucy’s brother’s apartments.

She peered up the dark staircase for only a moment, then as she took to it a rumble of thunder could be heard directly overhead. The storm outside was getting worse; natures warnings which she failed to understand. At the top of the stairs she slowly reached for the brass doorknob- turning the handle and pushing the door open. As the door swung back a flash of lightning lit up the darkened attic room. The only other light source was the dim beam from the moon which shone through the giant circular window to her left.

Sleet, hailstone and dead leaves battered the window pane. The wind howled and died as there came another peal of thunder.

Elizabeth spotted a wooden desk to her right by the wall. Upon it lay yellowing newspapers and ancient photographs. She walked over to it and picked up the first thing her eyes really focused on.

In a silver oval frame no bigger than her hand was a picture of a Victorian man and woman… Fear gripped her insides and her hand started to shake as snapshots of memories began to flash behind her eyes. She was the woman in the photograph! Tears rolled down her face as she glanced from herself in the picture, to the bold headlines of the newspaper articles on the table which she could just make out.

‘LADY MARY SHARPE FOUND DEAD IN BATHTUB’ -18th November 1867

‘SIR THOMAS SHARPE SENIOR CONVICTED OF MURDER, HANGS HIMSELF’-14th December 1867

‘SIXTEEN YEAR OLD SIR THOMAS SHARPE INHERITS FAMILY ESTATE’ –29th December 1867

'LADY A. SHARPE REPORTED MISSING’ -13th August 1872

‘LADY J. SHARPE REPORTED MISSING’ -10th October 1875

‘LADY K. SHARPE REPORTED MISSING’ - 24th December 1878

‘MARRIAGE ANNOUNCED BETWEEN ONE SIR THOMAS SHARPE OF SOUTH YORKSHIRE, TO ONE MISS EDITH CUSHING OF GATESHEAD’ -Monday 6th February 1881

Suddenly Elizabeth could barely breathe, for she knew she was Elizabeth no more.

No… She was Lady Edith Sharpe.

The sound of the wind howling outside and the hail and sleet battering the window was almost deafening, until there was another roar of thunder overhead. The flash of lightning came almost instantly after, but it was the sudden long shadow cast on the wall beside her which made her scream and drop the picture frame- the sound of the glass smashing against the floor, piercing the air, as she spun round…


	5. You will never be free of me!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence & Strangulation.

“T…Thomas!” she choked as she gripped the side of the table for support, her memories no longer images full of holes.

She remembered all she had forgotten the night she had escaped from his clutches into the future, running through the mirror just before the last stroke of midnight. The clock had shown it to be three minutes past twelve, a new day as Thomas had reached the mirror. The veil between worlds had fully repaired itself and thus he had been unable to follow her through.

“Edith, my darling,” Sharpe said calmly, removing his mask and tossing it aside, his eyes narrowing on her as his mouth curled into a smile. “You have been a very-“ his words came slow and drawn out ”-very disobedient wife, haven’t you… Six years I’ve waited!”

“P-Please!” Edith cried, backing away from him as he moved slowly- almost serpent like- towards her, the sharp handsome planes of his placid face suddenly illuminated as he stepped into the light of the moon.

“Oh, come now my love! Did you really think you were safe here? That I could not get to you?… Did you really think that I would allow you to leave me? That you would be free of me? You will never be free of me!”

As he spoke he continued to move towards her, and she in response had began to back away from him. They were now almost moving in a slow circle about the room as he followed her. Like a game of cat and mouse, he watched her movements intently.

“You are mine Edith! My innocent little virgin who I collected for my own! All that time spent courting you, did you really think I could just let you go? That I would forget about you? Oh-“ he chuckled slyly ”-you are a part of my collection. I am your Master. Your King… Your God! And you will worship me my love!” he grinned.

“T-Thomas. Please don’t do this! Leave me alone! You can find other wives!” she pleaded.

He chuckled as he stopped moving, his eyes were slits as Edith stopped by an armchair near the fireplace; gripping it for support.

“Ah yes!-” he said dramatically, running a hand through his black hair “I could Edith. But I don’t want any other… And even if I did darling, there are rules…” his voice suddenly died to little more than a whisper as he spoke “-and the rules state Edith, that before another can be sought- The. Collected. Must. DIE!” and he launched himself towards her, knocking over the armchair which crashed against the floor as he grabbed her by the throat, starting to strangle her.

She gasped for air, clawing at his strong pale hands but it was no use. As he spoke he ripped the mask from her face; his nose inches from hers.

“You are mine Edith! Mine! And now you must return home to face the punishment you so justly deserve!”

“P-please!” she choked. He chuckled as his eyes roamed over her face. She was like an ensnared bird- and he her cage.

“Oh Edith, I’ve truly missed this-” and suddenly his lips came crashing down upon hers. She struggled and moaned against him as his tongue explored her mouth for a long moment… But all too quickly his hands left her throat and moved up into her hair as he broke the kiss, turning and heading for the door as he began to drag her from the attic.

It wasn’t until they reached the first floor landing that Edith really began to scream at the top of her lungs; upon the realisation that she was being dragged in the direction of the mirror at the end of the hallway.

“Elizabeth!” her name rang out suddenly from somewhere behind her.

Both she and Thomas looked back down the hallway.

“Elisha look out!” Edith shouted- but it was too late! Elisha’s body hit the floor, blood beginning to seep from her head wound.

“No!” Edith cried, seeing Elisha’s unmoving body at Lucy Sharpe’s feet.

“How could you forget me!” Lucy giggled wickedly, dropping the bloody vase and stepping over the body.

Suddenly the first stroke of midnight could be heard.

“Lucille enough! I wanted this clean. There’s no time! Hide the body and-”

“No Thomas! I’m not coming back through that mirror! I love it here! I actually have power, and freedom from your rule!”

“Lucille!” Sharpe growled, but the chiming of the fourth stroke of midnight made him give up arguing with her as he wrapped his arms around Edith’s waist, pulling her off her feet. 

“No! Nooo!” she screamed as she put her arms out, trying to stop herself from being dragged backwards; her fingernails leaving claw marks in the wallpaper.

In a feeble last ditch attempt, as they both crossed the boundary line between worlds she grabbed onto the side of the mirror frame; her hands now the only part of her left in the 21st century.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she screamed, fighting to hold on; kicking her legs and hitting Thomas in the shins twice. 

“Edith! You’re only making this worse for yourself darling! Let go of the frame- Edith! Let. Go!” he growled, trying to pull her by the waist while attempting to mind her flailing legs.

“No! Please!” she screamed as she watched Lucille run down the corridor towards her.

When Lucille reached the mirror she began to claw at Edith’s hands, trying to pry them from the frame, and as the tenth stroke of midnight rang out in both worlds Edith could hold on no longer, her hands slipping from the mirror frame…


	6. Punishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Rough sex i.e slapping, choking etc. Well this is it guys, I hope you’ve enjoyed Sir Thomas Sharpe! ;) Thanks so much for reading and any feedback you wish to give, because I’d love to know what you thought of the fic on a whole. Oh! and Happy Halloween! -Hannah xx

As the curtain between worlds knitted itself back together, upon the twelfth stroke of midnight Thomas spun her in his arms, slapping her across the face; stunning her for a moment. It was all he needed so that he could hoist her up over his shoulder and carry her up to their marriage bed.

“For six years you have deprived me of your body, and oh my love! Are you going to pay for it this night and every night thereafter!” 

As he kicked the bedroom door open images flashed through her mind of their wedding night; the one and only time he had promised to ever be gentle with her- and like an intoxicated fool, she had really fallen in love with him that night as he’d finally taken her; handling her as if she had been a china doll that he feared to break.

However, she really was a weak little thing in his arms this night as he lifted her from his shoulder, all hope having left her as he threw her down on the bed, climbing straight on top of her and starting to shred the dress which concealed her bare flesh from his sight. 

She was once again the lion’s prey and he was certainly going to devour her tonight. She knew there was simply no use in fighting him anymore. There was nowhere that she could run, nowhere that she could hide from him. For if the future had failed to conceal her then what hope had she here in this time? In the past where it seemed he was all powerful!

He turned her on her side and his fingers worked quickly with the laces down the back of the bodice, the sound of fabric ripping filled the room as she lay there corpse like, staring up at the ceiling as the tears began to dry on her burning cheeks. In an instant, she was finally naked and left to the chill of the air as he got up off of her to make quick work of his own clothes. She had closed her eyes as he had returned to the bed. Suddenly he was kissing her neck as his fingers tweaked her nipples, drawing moans from her- much to her own dismay. Oh how she hated that he could do this to her. Hated herself even more for allowing him to know how she enjoyed it so!

But she knew this was only the warm up.

Edith screamed as Sharpe sunk his teeth into her neck, leaving a reddening imprint of his teeth behind in her soft skin. He began to kiss a trail down her body until he dipped his head between her legs, parting her folds and flicking his tongue out to taste her.

“Oh my little dove! You’re absolutely soaking wet for me already!” he crooned before he began to lap at her aching pearl, sucking and flicking and swirling his tongue around it.

For all his faults, his wrong doings, in that moment any resistance that she believed to be inside her, no matter how small came crashing down around her, her fingers knotting in his hair. Her legs started to shake either side of him as he slipped two fingers inside of her, while his tongue continued its ministrations on her clit… She screamed his name as she came; gripping the sheets as he dug the nails of his left hand into her thigh at the feel of her clenching around the fingers of his right hand.

She was a quivering mess as he pulled her up off the bed, sitting down and bending her over his knee. She could feel his erection against her ribs and she knew he was ready but her punishment had only barely begun. She knew he would bring her to the edge countless times tonight and then deny her the release she would be begging him for before the sun was up.

Thomas ran a hand over her ass, digging his nails in a little. Suddenly he brought his hand down hard and Edith screamed. His hand came down upon her ass repeatedly until she had tears in her eyes, her voice weak as she begged him to stop. It only made the head of his cock weep, until he could no longer stand it, pulling her up by the hair and forcing her to her knees.

“Mouth. Open!” He demanded, slapping her across the face.

She squealed but complied, taking him deep into her throat as he hissed “That’s it, that’s my good girl.”

His hands hadn’t left her hair, and he looked down upon her as he fucked her mouth, loving the little noises she was making as he tried to push deeper each time. Just before he was about to cum he stopped himself by pulling her up off him and bending her over the side of the bed, bracketing her legs; one hand coming up to rub her clit as he guided himself inside her cunt. She squealed into the sheets as Thomas gripped her hips while he began to rock his own.

“Fuck Edith! You feel like you did on our wedding night!”

She groaned and clawed at the sheets, panting as he drove himself relentlessly deeper into her tight wet pussy. His left hand was suddenly twisting her hair into a rope as he pulled her head back, enjoying the pain he knew he was causing her, and when she tried to reach for her clit he grabbed her arm and held it behind her back, making her cry out in frustration as he thrust into her harder and faster.

His need for her. The six years spent alone being unable to have her whenever he wanted. Whenever he needed… It wasn’t long before he was pushing her down and fucking her rough into the mattress, ignoring her cries of pain as he drove himself towards his release; driving deeper and deeper inside her until he came hard, pulling her hair painfully harder; her screams and his moans mixing in the air together.

Oh but he wasn’t done yet. This was only the beginning. He pulled out and flipped her over onto her back quickly so that she was now facing him as he nestled himself back inside her throbbing cunt; his hand wrapping around her throat. She was shaking and whimpering as he slowly started to rock his hips, holding her gaze as he shushed her. 

”Shh now, my innocent little whore!” he whispered and then kissed her, biting her bottom lip a little. “You’re mine Edith! And I promise you now my love, come sunrise you will remember who your Master is,” he groaned as he tightened his grip on her throat. ”You will obey me. Till death we do part. That I can promise you.”


End file.
